Clamp



April 11, 1950 P. s. DAMSTRA CLAMP Filed Jan. 15, 1948 Par an G. DAMSTRA A110 mums Patented Apr. 11, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLAMP Peter G. Damstra, Holland, Mich. Application January 15, 1948, Serial No. 2,400

Claims.

I'he present invention relates to a novel structure of clamp which in use is adapted to be detachably secured to a post, tube or rod and when thus secured is firmly anchored thereon.

It is an object and purpose of the present invention to provide a clamp which may be slid along a tube, rod or the like, to any desired position and thereafter set and anchored at such position. Said clamp is made of two major members of flat metal or other material having central openings through which the tube or rod passes and which are manually forced to angular positions with respect to the axis of the tube or rod so as to bite into said rod with the attaimnent of a permanent connection, until released.

An understanding of the invention may be had from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which,

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a post with the clamp of my invention connected therewith adjacent its lower end and utilized as an anchor for the post in the ground or other substance,

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through the post substantially on the plane of line 2-2 of Fig. l and, looking downwardly, showing the clamp thereon in plan with the ground or other substance removed,

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the clamp and a fragmentary portion of the post, and

Fig. 4 shows in perspective the several parts or elements of the clamp separated.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the difierent figures of the drawing.

In the structure of the clamp, a disk I of flat metal, which while it is shown as of circular outline may be of many other outlines, has a central circular opening 2 through it. At one side of the opening a relatively narrow slot 3 is cut from the opening approximately half way to the edge of the disk member I. A slot is out also from said opening 2 to the outer edge of the disk diametrically opposite the slot 3. Said last mentioned slot has an inner section 4 and an outer section 5, the section 4 being wider than section 5; and the outer section 5 is wider than the slot 3. The parts of the disk at opposite sides of the outer slot section 5 are sprung and offset from each other and bent to lie out of the same plane (Fig. 1).

The second main member of the clamp is a second disk 5 of flat metal which likewise, though shown in circular outline, may have other forms. It has a central circular opening 1 of substantially the same diameter as the opening at 2 in the member I, and from its outer edge inwardly has a slot 8 which extends substantially half way to the 2 opening I, the width of which is approximately the same as the width of the slot 3. From the slot I in diametric alinement with the slot 8, a slot is made outwardly which has an inner section 9 of generally the same length and width as the inner section 4 of the first member I. The outer portion or section of the slot is filled with a rectangular flat member II), which extends to each side of the clamp member 6, and is soldered, welded or brazed to the clamping member 6 to have a permanent connection therewith. It is located in a plane at right angles to the plane of the member 6.

The two clamping members may be put together by inserting the member 6 through the slots 4 and 5 and having the slot 8 join with the slot 3, and by moving said members far enough, the slot 8 embraces the first member I beyond the end of the slot 3 at opposite sides, and the slot 3 embraces the member 6 between the inner end of the slot 8 and its opening I. The plate III enters the outer slot section 5 and the two wider slot sections 4 and 9 are located opposite each other, and is of less thickness than the width of slot 5, permitting a limited angular change of positions of the members I and 6 relative to each other.

An elongated bolt or screw shank II, threaded from its free end toward its head I2 at the other end, may pass through the wider slot sections 4 and 9, bringing the head I2 against the adjacent sides of the two clamping members I and 6, as shown in Fig. 1. The head I2 is shaped so that at opposite sides it has a wedging action against the clamping members I and 6. A wedging member I3 has an opening through it so that it may be passed over the end of the shank II and bear against the adjacent sides of the clamping members I and 6 opposite the head I2. A thumb nut I4 screws onto the shank II to wedge the members I and 6 apart and force them at the sides of their openings 2 and I against the opposite sides of a tubular rod or post I5 which is passed through said openings 2 and I.

In connecting the clamp in Fig. 1, the thumb nut I4 is released so that the two clamping members I and 6 have a freedom of movement to move toward each other, thereby enlarging the effective passage of the openings 2 and I for the post I5 to freely pass therethrough. Then by tightening the thumb nut I4 and forcing the clamping members I and 5 away from each other, the edges around the openings 2 and 3 and at opposite sides thereof bite into or firmly engage with the post I5 and provide a very secure and firm connection, and one which holds the clamp to the post I5, shown to the post with an engagement which remains secure until the nut I 4 is released.

In Fig. 1, one of the many uses of this clamp is illustrated. It may be used as an anchor for a post which is set in the ground or other substance, indicated at l 6. The hole to receive the post will be large enough for the post with the clamped anchor thereon to be put down in the hole until the lower end of the post reaches the bottom of the hole, and thereafter by filling the hole, the post is much more securely anchored in the ground than without the clamp anchor on it. There are many other uses for the clamp in connection with tubular or cylindrical rods, posts and the like, such as connecting arms or other devices to the structure, and all uses to which the clamp may be put are to be comprehended by my invention.

The structure is readily manufactured and easily assembled and attached when it is to be used. It is produced economically.

The invention is defined in the appended claims and is to be considered comprehensive of all forms of structure coming within their scope.

I claim:

1. In a structure of the class described, two flat members each having an opening therethrough and diametrically slotted, completely through on one side said members being located transverse of each other with the openings in alinement, whereby a post may be passed through said openings, and manually operable means passing through said members at a side of said openings therein and engaging between them at adjacent sides and at each side of the location where said members cross each other for turning said members away from each other to a different angular position and to force them at said openings against a post passing therethrough.

2. A structure as defined in claim 1, said manually operable means comprising, a threaded shank having a head at one end, said head engaging against said transversely arranged members at adjacent sides, said shank extending through said members, a block through which said threaded shank passes, said block engaging against adjacent sides of the members opposite said head, and a nut screwed onto said threaded shank and adapted to be forced against said block.

3. A clamping structure comprising, two plates of fiat material each having an opening therethrough, one of said plates being slotted through from its outer edge to said opening and having a diametrically opposed slot at the opposite side of the opening extending part way to, but short of, the opposite edge of the plate, the other of said plates having a slot in one side extending from its outer edge but short of said opening therethrough, and a second diametrically opposed slot extending from said opening to the outer edge of the plate, a member at the outer end of said last mentioned slot connected to and located transversely of said last mentioned plate, said plates being disposed transversely across each other at said slots and having a pivotal connection for relative turning movement about a generally common axis, with said openings in alinement for the passage of an elongated member therethrough, and means for forcing said plates at the inner edges of said opening against an elongated member passing through said openings.

4. A structure as defined in claim 3, said first mentioned member at the outer end of the second mentioned slot therein having portions at each side of the plate.

5. A clamp adapted to be applied to a post comprising, two fiat plates each having a central opening therethrough and each diametrically slotted, completely through on one side said plates being located transversely of each other and connected together for relative turning movement about a generally common axis, and manually operable means in positive enga m nt wi h s id plates for simultaneously turning said plates one in a clockwise and the other in a counterclockwise direction, whereby said plates at the inner edges of the openings therethrough are caused to approach each other.

PETER G. DAMSTRA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,815,336 Willard Mar. 19, 1930 2,453,226 Hyde Nov. 9, 1948 

